The Norfolk Admirals open their 2024-25 ECHL campaign on Oct. 18 when they welcome the Adirondack Thunder to Norfolk Scope for a two-game weekend series. Last season, the Thunder put an end to the Admiralsโ Kelly Cup Playoff run in the North Division Final. Ahead of their first meeting since then, the Admirals released the players for their season opening roster which consists of 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goalies. There will be a lot of returning players as well as some new faces, but the team is primed for a longer run come the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Season Opening Roster
Forwards:
- #8 Denis Smirnov
- #11 Kamerin Nault
- #12 Pavel Padakin (listed on 3-day injured reserve)
- #13 Keegan Iverson
- #16 Marko Reifenberger
- #19 Sean Montgomery
- #20 Ryan Chyzowski
- #21 Justin Young
- #22 Stepan Timofeyev
- #25 Brandon Osmundson
- #26 Spencer Kennedy
- #28 German Yavash (listed on reserve)
- #74 Sanghoon Shin
- #94 Brady Fleurent
Defensemen:
- #2 Darick Louis-Jean
- #4 Carson Musser
- #5 Bryce Martin (listed on reserve)
- #7 Nathan Kelly
- #14 Connor Fedorek
- #15 Graham Sward
- #18 Andrew McLean
- #23 Josh McDougall
Goaltenders:
- #31 Logan Neaton
- #37 Kristian Stead
Reserve Players
German Yavash โ German Yavash is the lone forward listed on the reserve list for the Admirals and it does not come as a surprise. With the number off veteran players on the roster, it only makes sense. He is coming off a three-season career in the United States Hockey League with the Fargo Force and Lincoln Stars. He had a solid junior career, tallying 51 points in 144 games, but still has a long way to go to develop into a very solid professional hockey player. As the season rolls on, I do expect he will get frequent time in the lineup.
Bryce Martin โ The 27-year-old is the odd-man out on defense as this Admirals defense has a ton of AHL caliber talent, making it difficult to choose Martin over them. He is a very defensive-minded player as his point total lacks quite a bit, but will come up big in games against high-scoring teams.
Late Addition to the Team
After announcing their season-opening roster, the Admirals announced the Manitoba Moose had assigned Carson Golder to Norfolk to begin the season.
In his first full season as a professional, Golder was a big asset for the Admirals. He played 39 games between the regular season and the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs, tallying 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points. The 21-year-old put up an impressive +21 goal differential between the regular season and postseason. He spent some time with the Moose where he put up six points (2g,4a) in 14 games.
